Laundry machine



y 0, 1966 K. H. WOLVERTON 3,250,393

LAUNDRY MAC HI NE Filed Nov. 15, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNE Y5 May 10, 1966 K. H WOLVERTON LAUNDRY MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 15, 1963 ltlilll. I

INVENTOR. KEN/V5761 Wan 5x70 May 10, 1966 K. H. WOLVERTON LAUNDRY MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 15, 1963 INVENTOR. KEN/V571, f/f WOLVZRTON ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,250,393 LAUNDRY MACHINE Kenneth H. Wolverton, Moiine, 111., assignor to Ametek, Inc, New York, N .Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 15, 1963, Ser. No. 323,953 7 Claims. (Cl. 21t)146) This invention relates to laundry machines and particularly to an improved latch mechanism for locking the door of the rotatable drum of laundry machines.

Laundry machines, particularly those employing a perforated cylindrical drum that is rotated about a horizontal axis, usually include a sliding door forming part of the cylindrical drum for providing access to the interior of the drum. Such doors are required to be locked during a cycle of operation of the machine, and difiiculty often arises concerning the positive locking of such doors, particularly when the drum is rotated at extracting speeds.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a drum type laundry machine having a sliding door forming part of the drum, and a positive locking mechanism for said sliding door.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a laundry machine and door locking means that is urged into locking position by centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the drum.

Still another object of the invention is to provide such a laundry machine and door locking means that is simple in principle, of rugged construction and not easily damaged.

In one aspect of the invention, a laundry machine may include a perforated, hollow, cylindrical drum mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis within an imperforate housing. The drum may include an opening providing access to the interior thereof, and a door conforming to the cylindrical form of the drum may be mounted for sliding motion along tracks on the drum for closing said opening.

In'another aspect of the invention, axially aligned brackets may be located on the slidable door along an axis parallel with the axis of rotation of the drum. These brackets may support tubular elements forming slide bearings for locking bolts adapted to cooperate with lugs mounted on the tracks which guide the door in its sliding action, and located along the tracks so that when the door is in position closing the drum opening, the bolts are in alignment with the lugs.

In still another aspect of the invention, the locking bolts may be pivotally connected to drawbars, which latter are connected to an oscillatable pivot link that is connected to a handle in a manner to be turned from a position causing the bolts to engage the lugs on the guide tracks, to a position such that the bolts disengage said lugs. In a still further aspect of the invention, the connections between the drawbars and the pivot link are such that they are substantially diametrically disposed relative to the axis of oscillation of said link, and with one connection so arranged that when the bolts are in locking position, centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the drum acts on one of the drawbars, tending to force the bolts into locking position.

In still another aspect of the invention, the drawbar "ice The above, other objects and novel features of the invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings which are merely exemplary.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an end elevational view, partly in section, showing a portion of a laundry machine to which the principles of the invention have been applied;

FIG. 2 is a view taken along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view taken substantially along line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a view taken substantially along line 55 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 2 of a modified form; and

FIG. 7 is a view along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, the principles of the invention are shown as applied to a laundry machine including a hollow, cylindrical drum 10 having imperforate end walls supporting aligned trun- .nions 11 that extend through side walls 12 of an imperforate housing 13. The trunnions are journale'd in bearings 14 mounted on a frame 15 to which the housing 13 is attached.

The cylindrical wall of the drum 10 is perforated for the passing of liquid from the interior thereof to the interior of the housing 13 where it is collected and passed to a drain.

The hollow cylindrical drum 10 may be provided with an opening 16 in its cylindrical wall for access to the interior thereof to load and unload the drum 10.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, arcuate track members 17 and 18 may be fixed to drum 10 along opposed sides of opening 16 for receiving the edges of an arcuate door 19 which itself may be perforated. The edges of the door 19 may ride in grooves 20 of track members 17 and 18, which grooves guide the door 19 in its movement from a closed to an open position.

Brackets 21 and 22 may be fixed to the door 19 in aligned relation along an axis parallel with the axis of rotation of drum 10. Brackets 21, 22 may support tubular elements 23 and 24, respectively, for slidingly receiving bolts 25 and 26'. Bolt 26 may be pivotally connected to a drawbar 27 of relatively light weight, and having a cross section as shown in FIG. 5. Bolt 25 may be pivotally connected to a drawbar 28 of relatively heavy construction and having a cross section as shown in FIG. 4.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the ends of the drawbars 27 and 2S opposite those connected to bolts 25 and 26 may be connected to a pivot link 29 oscillatably mounted on a pin 30 journaled in a U-sha ed bracket 31 that is fixed to the door 19. Pivot link 29 may include spaced flanges 32 and 33 between which may extend pins 34 and 35 arranged in diametrically opposed relation on each side of the axis of pin 30. Pins 34 and 35, respectively, are 'pivotally connected to drawbars 28 and 27.

The pivot link 29 is fixed to pin 30 by a dowel 36 in pin 30. A spring 38 between flange 33 of link 29 and a boss 39 on bracket 31 urges link 29 into engagement with a wall 49 of bracket 31. The pin 30 extends through an opening 41 in wall of bracket 31 and has pinned to it a boss 42 integral with a handle 43. The diameter of the opening 41 is greater than that of the boss 42, thereby permitting the latter to pass through said opening, so that application of pressure to hanndle 43 axially of pin 30 forces pin 30 and link 29 axially of pin 30 so that flange 32 is moved away from wall 40.

Holes 44 and 45 Within the wall 40 of bracket 31 are located on an arc of a circle, the radius of which equals the distance from the axis of pin 30 to a pin 46 within the 3 flange 32 of pivot link 29. The angular spacing of holes 44 and 45 is such that with pin 46 in hole 44, the drawbars 27 and 28 are extended and the bolts 25 and 26 are within holes in lugs 47 and 48 mounted on tracks 17 and 18. With pin 46 in hole 45, drawbars 27 and 28 are retracted sothat bolts 25 and 26 are withdrawn from. lugs 47 and 48. Referring to FIG. 3, it is noted that when pin 46 is in hole 44, handle 43 is in its solid line position, and the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of drum provides a force moment tending to maintain handle 43 in its solid line position. Since the mass of drawbar 28 is substantially greater than that of bar 27, it follows that the faster drum 10 rotates, the greater the force tending to maintain the bolts 25 and 26 in locked position with lugs 47 and 48.

Moving handle 43 to its dotted line position (FIG. 3)

causes withdrawal of bolts and 26 from lugs 47 and i 48, thereby permitting the opening of door 19 to provide access to the interior of drum 10.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, drawbars 50, 51 are pivotally attached to bolts 23, 24. In FIGS. 6 and 7, parts similar to FIGS. 2 and 3 will be given the same reference numerals. Oscillatable lever 52 is pivotally attached at 53, 54 to drawbars 50, 51, respectively, the handle portion 55 of lever 52 being in the general plane of the surface of the cylinder. A pivot shaft 55 has a cross pin 56 therein which is engageable with notches 57 in hub 58 on lever 52. Spring 59 urges lever 52 outwardly so that the lever will remain in locked position. When it is desired to turn the lever 52, it is pressed inwardly against the force of spring 59. Centrifugal force will tend to cause lever 52 to remain in locked position.

Although the various features of the improved locking means for doors of rotatable laundry drums have been shown and described in detail to fully disclose one embodiment of the invention, it will be evident that changes may be made in such details and certain features may be used without others without departing from the principles of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a laundry machine, a frame; a housing mounted on said frame; a hollow cylindrical drum having a perforated cylindrical wall, mounted in said housing for rotation about a horizontal axis extending longitudinally of said drum; an opening in said perforated wall for providing access to the interior thereof; arcuate track means along each arcuate edge of said opening; an arcuate door slidably mounted in said track means; bolt receiving lugs mounted on said track means; bolt means mounted on said door and adapted to be aligned with said bolt receiving lugs when said door is closed; oscillatable means mounted on said door for moving said bolt means into locking position with said bolt receiving lugs; and means forming part of said oscillatable means and responsive to centrifugal force incident to the rotation of said drum, for resisting the unlocking movement of said bolt means.

2. In a laundry machine, a frame; a housing mounted on said frame; a hollow cylindrical drum having a perforated cylindrical wall, mounted in said housing for rotation about a horizontal axis extending longitudinally of said drum; an opening in said perforated wall for providing access to the interior thereof; arcuate track means along each arcuate edge of said opening; an arcuate door slidably mounted in said track means; bolt receiving lugs mounted on said track means; bolt means mountedon said door and adapted to be aligned with said bolt receiving lugs when said door is closed; oscillatable means mounted on said door for moving said bolt means into locking position with said boltreceiving lugs; and drawbar means between said oscillatable means and said bolt means, responsive to centrifugal force incident to the rotationof said drum, for resisting the unlocking movement of said bolt means.

I 3.In a laundry machine, a frame; a housing mounted on said frame; a hollow cylindrical drum having a perforated cylindrical wall, mounted in said housing for rotation about a horizontal axis extending longitudinally of said drum; an opening in said perforated wall for providing access to the interior thereof; arcuate track means along each arcuate edge of said opening; an arcuate door slidably mounted in said track means; bolt receiving lugs mounted on said track means; bolt means mounted on said door and adapted to be aligned with said bolt receiving lugs when said door is closed; oscillatable means mounted on said door for moving said bolt means int-o locking position with said bolt receiving lugs; and .drawbar means between said oscillatable means and said bolt means, responsive to centrifugal force incident to the rotation of said drum, for resisting the unlocking movement of said bolt means, one of said drawbar means having a greater mass than the other, and being connected to said oscillatable meansin a manner such that when said bolt means are in locking position, centrifugal force incident to the rotation of said drum causes the drawbar having the greater mass to resist turning of said oscillatable means in a direction to unlock said bolt means.

4. In a laundry machine, a frame; a housing mounted on said frame; a hollow cylindrical drum having a perforated cylindrical Wall, mounted in said housing for rotation about a horizontal axis extending longitudinally of said drum; an opening in said perforated wall for providing access to the interior thereof; arcuate track means along each arcuate edge of said opening; an arcuate door slidably mounted in said track means; bolt receiving lugs mounted on said track means; bolt means mounted on said door and adapted to be aligned with said bolt receiving lugs when said door is closed; oscillatable means mounted on said door for moving said bolt means into locking position with said bolt receiving lugs; means between said oscillatable means and said -bolt means, responsive to centrifugal force incident to the rotation of said drum, for resisting the unlocking movement of said bolt means; resilient means for urging said oscillatable means along its axis of oscillation into a position where it can be locked in either of two oscillatable positions; and a handle connected to said oscillatable means for overcoming said resilient means and for oscillating said oscillatable means.

5. In a laundry machine, a frame; a housing mounted on said frame; a hollow cylindrical drum having a perforated cylindrical wall, mounted in said housing for rotation about a horizontal axis extending longitudinally of said drum; an opening in said perforated wall for providing access to the interior thereof; arcuate track means along each arcuate edge of said opening; an arcuate door slidably mounted in said track means; bolt receiving lugs mounted on said track means; bolt means mounted on said door and adapted to be aligned with said bolt receiving lugs when said door is closed; oscillatable means mounted on said door for moving said bolt means into locking position with said bolt receiving lugs; drawbar means between said oscillatable means and said bolt means, responsive to centrifugal force incident to the rotation of said drum, for resisting the unlocking movement of said bolt means; resilient means for urging said oscillatable means along its axis of oscillation into a position where it can be locked in either of two oscillatable positions; and a handle connected to said oscillatable means for overcoming said resilient means and for oscillating said oscillatable means.

6. In a laundry machine, a frame; a housing mounted on said frame; a hollow cylindrical drum having a perforated cylindrical wall, mounted in said housing for rotation about a horizontal axis extending longitudinally of said drum; an opening in said perforated wall for providing access to the interior thereof; arcuate track means along each arcuate edge of said opening; an arcuate door slidably mounted in said track means; bolt receiving lugs mounted on said track means; bolt means mounted on said door and adapted to be aligned with said "bolt receiving lugs when said door is closed; oscillatable means mounted on said door for moving said bolt means into locking position with said bolt receiving lugs; drawbar means between said oscillatable means and said bolt means, responsive to centrifugal force incident to the rotation of said drum, for resisting the unlocking movement of said bolt means, one of said drawbar means having a greater mass than the other, and being connected to said osciliatable means in a manner such that when said bolt means are in locking position, centrifugal force incident to the rotation of said drum causes the drawbar having the greater mass to resist turning of said oscillatable means in a direction to un lock said bolt means; resilient means for urging said oscillatable means along its axis of oscillation into a position where it can be locked in either of two oscillatable positions; and a handle connected to said oscillat-able means for overcoming said resilient means and for oscillating said oscillatable means.

7. In a laundry machine, a frame; a housing mounted on said frame; a hollow cylindrical drum having a perforated cylindrical wall, mounted in said housing for rotation about a horizontal axis extending longitudinally of said drum; an opening in said perforated wall for providing access to the interior thereof; arcuate track means along each arcuate edge of said opening; an arcuate doorslidably mounted in said track means; bolt receiving lugs mounted on said track means; bolt means mounted on said door and adapted to be aligned :with said bolt re- No references cited.

SAMIH N. ZAHARNA, Primary Examiner. D. M. RIESS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A LAUNDRY MACHINE, A FRAME; A HOUSING MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME; A HOLLOW CYLINDRICAL DRUM HAVING A PERFORATED CYLINDRICAL WALL, MOUNTED IN SAID HOUSING FOR ROTATION ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID DRUM; AN OPENING IN SAID PERFORATED WALL FOR PROVIDING ACCESS TO THE INTERIOR THEREOF; ARCUATE TRACK MEANS ALONG EACH ARCUATE EDGE OF SAID OPENING; AN ARCUATE DOOR SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN SAID TRACK MEANS; BOLT RECEIVING LUGS MOUNTED ON SAID TRACK MEANS; BOLT MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID DOOR AND ADAPTED TO BE ALIGNED WITH SAID BOLT RECEIVING LUGS WHEN SAID DOOR IS CLOSED; OSCILLATABLE MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID DOOR FOR MOVING SAID BOLT MEANS INTO LOCKING POSITION WITH SAID BOLT RECEIVING LUGS; AND MEANS FORMING PART OF SAID OSCILLATABLE MEANS AND RESPONSIVE TO CENTRIFUGAL FORCE INCIDENT TO THE ROTATION OF SAID DRUM, FOR RESISTING THE UNLOCKING MOVEMENT OF SAID BOLT MEANS. 